


For Better Or Worse

by Tanaqui



Series: Awesome!Jakeverse (Jericho) [94]
Category: Jericho (US 2006)
Genre: Awesome!Jakeverse, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-12-27
Updated: 2009-12-27
Packaged: 2017-10-05 07:51:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,791
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/39411
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tanaqui/pseuds/Tanaqui
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A sequel to Scribbler's <a href="http://archiveofourown.org/works/5520">New Horizons</a>.When Jake and Heather head home to continue their celebration of their first flight together, things don't go quite the way either of them expect.</p>
            </blockquote>





	For Better Or Worse

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to Scribbler for the beta.

The only downside of taking Heather up in the Air Tractor for the first time, Jake decided, was that it had taken far too long to get back home once they'd decided that hillside really was too cold even for kissing.

But they'd finally got the plane safely squared away in the hangar, both of them refusing to skimp on taking care of the old girl. Even though he could tell from the look in Heather's eyes when her gaze met his, and the way she reached out to touch him whenever they got near each other, that she wanted him as much as he wanted her.

When they reached the ranch, Heather carried the picnic basket into the house, while Jake headed out to the wood store in the barn to grab a few more logs. When he got inside, the house seemed blazingly hot by comparison, but he knew it would soon start to feel cold again after a while. He could hear Heather moving about in the kitchen. Working quickly, he added a couple of logs to the fire in the living room and then, shedding his jacket and muffler, hurried upstairs to do the same in their bedroom.

When he came down again, he found Heather still unpacking the last things. He stood in the doorway for a moment, watching her. She turned her head a little, letting him know she knew he was there, and suddenly watching her wasn't enough. He crossed over to her, wrapping his arms around her waist and burying his face in her hair, breathing in the scent of her shampoo. He chuckled to himself, remembering that time they'd made love on the kitchen counter, and made a mental note to do that again some time—but not today. Even with the wood-burning range steadily pumping out heat, the worktop felt uncomfortably cold when the back of his hand brushed against it.

Heather reached up and put the jars of preserves back in the cupboard, before leaning her head back against Jake's shoulder. She wrapped her arms around herself and over his, and let out a wordless contented murmur as she settled against him.

He hugged her tightly for a moment, before he let go of her so he could take her hand and lead her up to the bedroom.

When they got there, she cast a quick approving glance at the flames that were starting to lick hungrily at the fresh logs on the fire. Then she slipped her arms around his neck and drew his head down for a light teasing kiss.

Pulling her close with one arm, Jake slid his other hand up her back, rucking her sweater upwards, and feeling her shiver as his fingers met her warm skin. The heat built in him as he deepened the kiss, his mouth hungrily rediscovering hers even as his hands reacquainted themselves with her body.

Unexpectedly, he felt her wince and she pulled back from the kiss.

"Cold...," she objected, a tremor running through her.

She had a point. The bedroom was far warmer than outside, but it was still pretty chilly, and the fire had started drawing a cold draft through the room as the logs caught properly alight. "Come on." Jake steered her backward, grinning at her. Reaching the bed, he bent down and pulled the bedclothes back partway with one hand, inviting her with a tilt of the head to climb under them.

He followed her onto the bed, settling himself so they lay face to face. She draped her arm over him, pulling him closer, while he drew the bedclothes over their heads, enveloping them in darkness.

"Much better, huh?" He made a guess at where her lips were before his eyes had fully adjusted to the gloom under the blankets, missing by only a little. Letting go of the bedclothes, he slid his hand back under her sweater, feeling her tremble at his touch.

She returned his kiss eagerly for a moment, and then her mouth faltered on his. Again she pulled back from him, and he felt her tense.

"What—?"

She didn't answer, but he sensed her give a slight shake of the head. She was almost rigid now, and when he put his hand up to her face, her cheek was wet under his fingertips.

"Hey.... What's the matter?" He spoke softly, his thumb stroking her cheek to comfort her, though his heart had started racing.

"I—." She shook her head again, the gesture visible now that he was used to the half-dark.

The next moment, she had buried her face in his shoulder, pressing herself against him. He could feel her shaking with silent sobs, and he held her close, wondering what the hell had just happened. By the way she was clinging to him for comfort, it obviously wasn't _him_ she was upset with, but he hadn't a clue what they'd said or done to bring this on.

"Shhh.... It's okay." He went on making soothing noises and stroking her hair until she quieted. At last, she pulled away from him a little, sniffing away the last of her tears. Again, he caught her face, holding her away from him enough to try and meet her gaze in the dim light. "Heather?"

She gave another sniff and turned her face to press her cheek into his palm. "When I—." Her voice was scratchy and she stopped and cleared her throat. "When I was in New Bern. The winter before last." He felt her hand tighten on his arm. "It got really cold, and we didn't have any fuel. So Ted and I got into bed together, and got under the blankets...."

"Ah...." Jake let out the breath he'd been holding, understanding all too well how moments like this could ambush you when you were least expecting them.

Heather nestled closer to him, leaning her head against his shoulder again. His slid his hand to cup the nape of her neck, his fingers tangling in her hair.

"I just hadn't thought about that... hadn't thought about... him... in a long time." She sighed. "He tried to kiss me one time. Wanted to...."

"But you didn't?" As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Jake kicked himself. Because it was really none of his damn business—at the time, he'd as good as told her he didn't want to date her, hadn't he?—and, anyway, this wasn't about him.

But Heather didn't seem to mind the question. He felt her shake her head. "No. I never.... That wasn't how I felt about him. And anyway," she let out something halfway between a sob and a chuckle, "there was this guy in Jericho...."

Jake drew her more tightly against him. "Yeah. I hear he was a real idiot," he murmured.

"Yeah." Heather let out another of those half-hitching chuckles. She gave his arm another squeeze. "Sometimes I forget, you know. How awful it was." She pulled away again so she could tilt her head back and meet his gaze. "Being with you makes me so happy that I...."

"Yeah." Nodding, he smoothed the hair back from her face. "Yeah." He was about to lean forward and kiss her again, for comfort this time, when she spoke.

"It wasn't just the cold, and always being hungry, and always wondering whether there'd be any more food, you know?" Another shiver ran through her. "It was being afraid, all the time. Even the first few weeks, when I was Constantino's blue-eyed girl, because I was helping them make something new to trade. The way he looked at me, I knew I was only safe as long as I was useful. And the longer I was there, the more I saw what happened to people who got on his bad side...."

Jake stroked her hair, trying to comfort her with his presence, but giving her the space to speak, knowing she needed to talk, that it was long past time. Not wanting to hear any of it, because he still carried the guilt that he'd let her go to New Bern in the first place, and he knew it would be fuel for his own nightmares—but a part of him thinking that maybe this was his penance.

She told him about the casual violence from Constantino's thugs. How she'd seen an old man kicked and beaten for not getting out the way fast enough, and stood frozen because she was afraid that if they noticed her, they might decide to pick on her next. Might decide to—.

She talked about how Constantino would accuse people of hoarding, or of stealing from the communal stores, and there was no need for evidence, just his word, or the word of one of his inner circle. How working in the factory was a double-edged sword, because you got better rations than most, but it was harder to stay off Constantino's radar. How, as the weeks rolled by, the rumors grew that Jericho was to blame for all their problems, and people began to give her the cold shoulder.

"Ted made me feel safe." Quiet tears had been running down her face for a while, and she raised a hand to scrub them away. "Even after—even after I said no, he still took care of me. I know it doesn't work like that, but I wish I'd... I wish I'd been a better friend to him."

Jake caught her hand as she let it drop, and pressed it to his cheek, his thumb rubbing over hers. "Maybe this afternoon, we should drive over to New Bern and lay some flowers?" When Colonel Hoffman had learned the truth about what Constantino had been up to, he'd sent soldiers into New Bern to cut down Ted's body, still hanging outside City Hall, and given him a proper burial.

Heather nodded. "I'd—. Yes. That would be—. Yes. Please." She sniffed hard, apparently trying to drive out the last of the tears. "I'm sorry. I kinda ruined your big day...."

"Shh. No." He let go of her hand and caught her face. Bending his forehead to touch hers, he whispered. "I'm along for this road trip no matter what's playing on the radio." Heather gave a hiccuping laugh, and he took heart from that and went on. "I love you. And you make this trip so much better than I could have ever hoped or imagined. But... we've both of us listened to some bad songs in the past, right? And sometimes they're gonna come on the radio when we least expect. But we'll get through." He closed his eyes, his voice dropping to a murmur. "You and me. We'll get through."


End file.
